N Willamette Boulevard Active Transportation Corridor Project

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What's New By the Numbers

• 14 new marked crosswalks
• 42 ADA ramps
• 41 fire friendly speed cushions to slow vehicle traffic and reduce high speeds
• 15 new street lights (plus 6 upgrades to existing lights)
• 12,000 feet of traffic separator to protect bike lanes
• 19 bus stop upgrades
• 3 ADA parking spaces

Tips for Using the New Willamette Boulevard

Pulling Over for Emergency Vehicles

Similar to other roads with one travel lane in each direction, vehicles are required to pull as far to the side of the roadway as possible, which in many cases along Willamette will be a driveway entrance, side street, or other break in the traffic separator. Where there is no break in the traffic separators, drivers should pull as far to the right as possible and stop until the emergency vehicle can safely pass. Since nearly every property along Willamette has a driveway, this means that vehicles should have ample opportunities to briefly pull into the bike lane and then continue on their way once the emergency vehicle passes.

Turning right

View full size image of Four images from the passenger seat of a van showing how to turn right in four steps: stop, pull forward, turn, and go.

Placing bins

View full size image of 2 photos of the correct way to place bins (in the buffer next to the traffic separators and adjacent to the traffic separator) and 2 photos of the wrong way.

Project Background and Scope

The N Willamette Active Transportation Corridor Project emerged from the North Portland In Motion planning effort as a signature capital project to improve access to community destinations and support walking, biking, and transit use in the North Portland peninsula.

Speed data, crash history, and community feedback all informed the design and construction of Willamette Blvd's improvements, which were completed in fall of 2026. Several main priorities emerged:

Safer, Slower Vehicle Speeds

While Willamette is posted 25mph, the 85th percentile speed, meaning the speed that 85% of drivers are going, is much higher at 37-38mph in the project area.  High vehicle speeds exponentially increase the risk of fatal and serious injury crashes. N Willamette has been the site of dozens of crashes over the past few years. Several tools have been employed on N Willamette to reduce illegal speeding and crashes, including adding fire friendly speed cushions.

From 2020 to 2024 there were 73 vehicle crashes where 69 people were injured. Five of those people suffered serious injuries. During that time there were also five bike crashes, one of which resulted in a serious injury. Additionally in 2025, one person died in a single vehicle crash on N Willamette Blvd. No other crash data is available for 2025 or 2026 at this time.

Recently reported crashes are as follows:

• 20 vehicle crashes including 1 serious injury crash and 6 moderate injury crashes in 2022
• 16 vehicle crashes including 3 serious injury crashes and 2 moderate injury crashes and 1 bike crash leading to a moderate injury in 2023.
• 10 vehicle crashes including 1 serious injury crash and 5 moderate injury crashes and 2 bike crashes including 1 serious injury crash and 1 minor injury crash in 2024. A total of 24 people injured.
• 1 deadly single vehicle crash in 2025 (other data not yet available for this year)

The city's crash data is compiled by the Oregon Department of Transportation. 

Safer Bike Lanes

Protected bike lanes create a physically separate facility for bicyclists within the same right-of-way as general vehicle traffic. These facilities are some of the safest infrastructure options for cyclists since they reduce potential conflicts between bicyclists and other transportation modes. In order to realize this goal, most on-street parking along N Willamette Blvd between N Richmond and N Rosa Parks Way was removed to provide adequate space for a world-class, safe, protected bikeway design. The physical separation and traffic calming that has been added to the Boulevard will also help to reduce speeds and create a safer street for all travel modes. 

More Frequent and Better Crossings

Previously, there were few marked crosswalks along N Willamette Blvd. This project utilized citywide policy and guidance outlined in the PedPDX and Vision Zero Strategy to add new, frequently spaced pedestrian crossings along the entire stretch of the corridor. The highest level of investment focused on crossings with bus stops that were identified on the Safe Routes to School network, and at the intersection of existing and future bikeways.

Better Bus Stops

Throughout Portland, PBOT is implementing new and improved bus stops on transit routes with bicycle facilities. The bus stops along N Willamette Blvd have been improved through this strategy. The stops at N Ida Ave, N Wabash Ave, N Chautauqua Ave, and N Woolsey Ave were upgraded with ADA accessible platforms that bicyclists bike behind, eliminating the potential conflict between buses and bikes. Other bus stops along the route were upgraded with ADA compliant concrete pads in the furnishing zone so that people using mobility devices can more easily get on and off buses.

Project Funding

This project was funded through the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) and Metro's Regional Flexible Funding Allocation (RFFA). PCEF invests in projects to reduce carbon emissions, green infrastructure, and climate justice programs, and RRFA distributes federal funding for equitable transportation, safe systems, climate action and resiliency, and expanded mobility options. Neither of those funding pots are general transportation dollars that could have been used for routine maintenance like filling potholes.

Post Project Evaluation

Given the vast array of feedback, PBOT made and continues to make decisions based on neighborhood input, needs of the corridor, best practices for active transportation planning and construction, and City of Portland guidelines. During the design phase, the project received a letter of support signed by five north Portland neighborhood associations: Overlook, Arbor Lodge, St. Johns, Portsmouth, and Cathedral Park, as well as the University of Portland. 

PBOT will complete a post-project evaluation within two years of the completion of the final construction phase of Willamette Blvd.  Along with additional priorities identified by community stakeholders, the evaluation plan will include three major questions:

• Did this project improve safe roadway conditions?
• Did this project increase active transportation and transit use?
• Did this project have unintended consequences to be addressed?

Construction Work Schedule

[Updated 10/6/2026]

Tree plantings are underway! Please use caution as you are traveling along the corridor and watch for flaggers, while crews excavate and plant new street trees.

September–October 2026

Finishing Touches and Punch List

Concrete Bike Separators - Completed

• Form and pour bike separators on north side
• Form and pour bike separators on south side
• Install centerline delineators at Woolsey and Chautauqua

Speed Cushions - Completed

• Speed cushions will be added along the corridor between Rosa Parks and Richmond
• Follow detour signage to Lombard and avoid Willamette
• Work is planned for the weeks of Sept. 21 and Sept. 28 during daytime hours, typically 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. On some days, crews may need to keep the road closed until 6 p.m. to avoid avoid adding additional days of detours
• No work or detours planned for Friday, Sept. 25 due to rain

Corridor-wide Landscaping

• Final tree planting
• Topsoil and lawn seeding at all completed corners and islands

Public Involvement Summary

HIGHLIGHTS 

• Over 30 public meetings and presentations on and near Willamette
• Physical mailings to all properties adjacent to on-street parking removal areas (390 recipients) with comment period and exemption option (details below)
• Interactive online map for the public (55,000+ views as of January 2025)
• In-person home visits offered to all Willamette neighbors to ask questions and work out site specific issues when possible
• Letter of support signed by five north Portland neighborhood associations: Overlook, Arbor Lodge, St. Johns, Portsmouth, and Cathedral Park

2026

• Construction underway - project signage in place and outreach being conducted onsite with adjacent neighbors and the traveling public

2025

• Small group and 1:1 onsite meetings with neighbors continue
• Virtual Plan Walk Through Meeting #1 - January 22, 2025 [recording available]
• Virtual Plan Walk Through Meeting #2 - January 23, 2025 [recording available]

2024 

• Traffic Advisory and social media announcements – July and August 2024
• Construction letter sent to Willamette neighbors in the N Carey Ave to N Richmond Ave paving segment – July 2024
• Construction updates sent to email list (over 3,000 recipients) – Summer 2024
• Design visualizations updated and sent to email list (over 3,000 recipients) – March 2024
• Door hangers placed on all properties between Portsmouth and Richmond (areas slated for changes beginning in 2024) – January 8, 2024
• Continued in-person meetings for impacted properties that request a visit

2023 

• North Portland Land Use Group + Transportation Meeting – December 6, 2023
• Cathedral Park Neighborhood Association – November 14, 2023
• University Park Neighborhood Association – October 23, 2023
• Onsite meetings with adjacent neighbors – Summer/Fall 2023
• Willamette Boulevard Pedalpalooza Ride hosted by PBOT PM and Planner – August 27, 2023
• Portsmouth Neighborhood Association Update – August 14, 2023
• University of Portland 30% Plans Project Check In – July 17, 2023
• St Johns Neighborhood Association Update – June 12, 2023
• Portland Bicycle Advisory Committee Update – June 13, 2023
• Arbor Lodge Neighborhood Association Updates – January 19, 2023 

2022 

• Portland Bicycle Advisory Committee – October 11, 2022
• Project Ideas Open House Pop-Up @ St Johns Farmers Market – August 20
• Project Ideas Open House Pop-Up @ Kenton Farmers Market – August 17, 2022
• City of Portland Pedestrian Advisory Committee – August 16, 2022
• St. Johns Pedalpalooza ride – August 13, 2022
• University Park, Portsmouth & New Columbia Pedalpalooza ride – August 11, 2022
• Kenton, Arbor Lodge & Overlook Pedalpalooza ride – August 6, 2022
• Mailing to nearby properties and owner addresses (416 recipients) detailing project and parking removal – August 2022
• Project Ideas Open House Pop-Up @ Our Village Gardens Celebration – July 31, 2022
• University Park Neighborhood Association Presentation – June 13, 2022
• Portsmouth Neighborhood Association Presentation – June 13, 2022
• Portland Bicycle Advisory Committee North Portland in Motion Tour – June 12, 2022
• University of Portland presentation to the board – March 17, 2022
• Focus Group: St Johns Boosters – January 21, 2022
• Issues and Opportunities Workshop with BikeLoud North/Northeast – January 20, 2022 

2021 

• Oregon Walks Plans & Projects Committee Workshop – November 1, 2021
• University Park Neighborhood Association Presentation – October 25, 2021
• North Portland in Motion Pedalpalooza Kick-Off Ride – August 29, 2021
• Cathedral Park Neighborhood Association Presentation – August 10, 2021
• Arbor Lodge Neighborhood Association Presentation – July 15, 2021 

Project Downloads

60% Design Interactive Map (NOT UP TO DATE, KEPT ONLINE FOR REFERENCE ONLY)